This 360 Virtual Visit samples what can be seen and heard on various tours offered at Taliesin East. Many schools use it as a virtual field trip. Unlike still or video, 360 Virtual Reality lets you experience the place as if you were there. This tour offers something extra - a couple viewpoints not available to the public. For instance, visitors aren't allowed in the Blue Loggia. Foot traffic would damage the irreplaceable Chinese rug, So they never see the balcony above or the rug up close. The virtual visitor can.
The tour includes immersive views inside Wright's studio, home, school and several locations on the estate grounds.
To learn more about this tour's background, how and why similar virtual visits might benefit others, please view the blog post.
How to view:
As you enter each location our tour guide will share history, perspective and tell you about important aspects of what you see around you. Your view is automatically directed to the current area of interest. Just sit back and enjoy. When the guided tour is done you take control or grab control any time you want. Click and drag to look anywhere. Use your mouse wheel or gestures to zoom in or out. If you want to experience part of the guided tour again just hover above the Play Tour button then click the tour topic of interest.
When you are ready to move on, select your next location from the thumbnail menu at the bottom of the tour and you will be taken there. View in any order you wish.
You can stop the tour at any time by clicking the "Stop Tour" button. Start it again by clicking the "Play Tour" button. Display a tour menu by hovering your cursor or pressing above the tour button. If you prefer listening to the guide while controlling the view entirely yourself, click "Turn Motion Off" from the tour menu. Background music can be turned on or off by clicking the sound button.
Your tour guide is Keiran Murphy, staff historian at Taliesin Preservation, Inc.
More: Take brief virtual tours of the Wright designed American System-Built Home and the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, both in Milwaukee.
The Music
Throughout Taliesin you will see evidence of Wright's love for music. He saw music and architecture as closely related, calling both "sublimated mathematics." He felt that understanding music makes for a better architect. We sampled several of Wright's favorite scores as a sound track for this tour, including one composed by him and his wife, Olgavanna. (Work song, the background for the Tan-y-deri tour.) The title and composer of each piece are show at the lower left of each scene.
Sadly the CD, Music, Architecture & Wright, is out of print but check out the Taliesin Bookstore Online. There you will find a wealth of unique items related to Wright, architecture, interior design and more.
For more 360 interactive images and virtual tours visit the main Tour de Force 360 website.
